The Blood of Knight-Commander
by seinka
Summary: This story takes place twenty-five years after end of events in DA2. The main characters are OC's, some of them are related to one of the companions in DA2. I've always wondered if mage and templar can work together or be friends... And I think they can... So yes, this story is about mages and templars. :)


„A girl?" a templar was surprised to finally see the face of his opponent.

„Surprised, sir templar? What do you want from me?" she asked while laying on the ground and watching the sword pointing to her neck.

„Who are you?" the knight asked ignoring the pain from their previous combat.

„Only that? You could just ask, not beat me up to get the answer," she frowned. „You may call me Lea. And you? Do you have a name?"

„My name is no concern to you. What are you doing here?"

„Isn't that obvious? Answering your questions so you may not kill me," she paused. „I'm following a blood mage, perhaps the same one as you're after?"

„Why?"

„Business."

„Which circle do you belong to?"

„None."

„So you are an apostate," the tip of the blade got closer to her throat.

„I'm not!"

„I saw you using magic!"

„No you didn't."

„I did."

„You saw me using magic items, not the magic. Anyone can use the right magic items," Lea explained, but from the look of his eyes she knew, he did not believe her.

„Where did you get them?"

„Now you're what? A tax collector? I won't allow you to take them from me, I need them to do my job!"

„Which is?"

„A mage hunter."

The templar stood silent for a moment.

„So... will you release me now? We have a blood mage to deal with."

„We?" he asked with a surprise.

„Why not? There's a blood mage on the run, the two of us have better chance against her than one. And put that sword away, I am no danger to you."

„How can I know I can trust you?"

„My word is not enough, I suppose... Than you cannot know. It's up to you to decide. I only know, I can defend myself, if you decided to kill me. And that I don't kill templars on sight..."

„So you're going to take all the information I know and then kill me?" he asked, but Lea could see a little smile on his face.

„I am a mage hunter. Not a templar hunter," she replied immediately.

„Fine, you can go with me," he sheathed the sword and helped her get up. „But I'm the one in charge."

„That's fine with me," she started to gather her belongings which she had to drop before and during their fight. „Does my new leader has a name that is of concern to me?" she smiled.

„Corin," he answered simply. „Let's go."

They packed their things and set forth. Corin carefully watched the blood mage's phylactery and compared the directions it led to with an unusually good map of this area. Lea observed their surroundings, three times she picked up a piece of wood, but almost immediatelly threw it away. With her fourth attempt she was finally happy and put the little fragment to her belt pouch.

After several hours they camped for night under a rock eaves. Lea snatched a rabbit, which was now roasting.

„What are you doing?" Corin asked her.

„Whittling," she replied without taking her eyes off the piece of wood and little sharp knife.

„I can see that. What it will be when finished?"

„If I succeed, you will find out," she stopped, put a strand of her black hair behind her ear and looked at him. In the light of fire she looked unusually beautiful. „Do all the templars ask such questions?"

„What does the _such_ mean?"

„The annoying kind. Where did you get the items? What are you whittling? Things like that."

„That annoys you?"

„Not really, sorry," Lea looked into the fire. „The meat should be ready to eat."

They split the rabbit and for a while they ate in silence.

„Why did you became a mage hunter?" the templar asked suddenly.

„I've lost my sister to a blood mage."

„This blood mage?"

„Yes," she replied after a moment.

„I'm sorry."

Another moment of silence.

„May I have a question for you?" Lea asked hesitantly.

„Sure."

„Why are you after this mage?"

„I'm a templar. I've got order to kill her and so here I am."

„No... I mean... who gave you this order?"

„The Knight-Commander himself, why is it so important?" he did not understand the reason behind her questions.

"Did he say something... strange?"

Corin looked at her with several new questions in his head. He remembered the conversation with the Knight Commander. And it didn't make much sense back then.

~ x ~

„_There will be someone else on the mage's trail. I can't say if it's for good or bad, so I'll leave it up to you, whether you'll accept help or not," the Knight-Commander said to him._

„_Is is someone you know, Knight-Commander?"_

„_Yes."_

„_Then tell me more. It's suicide mission, if you send me there with only riddles. This blood mage killed the best mage hunter who ever visited Kirkwall."_

„_I know damn well whom she killed. He was good, but he was also older that I am," the leader of templars paused. „I've known him for thirty years."_

_Corin realised how old the Knight-Commander suddenly looks like._

„_Enough. There's no time for memories. I'm giving you an order to kill this blood mage. Here's her phylactery."_

„_As you command."_

~ x ~

"No. He gave me order to kill this blood mage. There's nothing strange about it," he said finally. He still didn't trust her.

"I see... thank you," Lea's gone sad.

"Were you expecting something in particular?"

"Sort of."

"Now you're trying to sound mysterious?" he said calmly, but anger slowly arose in his mind. "Your concern about the Knight-Commander is suspicious. How can I trust you that you will cover my back instead of stabbing it?"

"I told you already, you cannot trust me. Well, you can, but I don't have any proof of it."

"Then tell me why do you care so much about the Knight-Commander."

"And how can I know, _I _can trust _you_?" she asked. "Maybe later. It's time for sleep. No need to keep watch, I have an amulet that wakes me up when danger approaches."

She wrapped herself up in the blanket and within moments fell asleep. Corin watched her for a while, trying to decide if travelling with her is a good or bad. Probably both. She was a mage, that was certain. That meant she was dangerous, but he did not see her using magic during their fight or after. Either she really meant no harm to him, or she was plotting something. He needed to stay alert. But sleep first. To stay alert he needed rest.

They woke up and packed their camp at dawn. When the sun reached it's peak, they came out of forest. The road was leading them to nearby mountains.

"This does not make any sense," Corin frowned to the map and phylactery. "She's changing her direction at random, where she can possibly be going?"

"Let me take a look," Lea suggested. "We're here, right?" she pointed to a spot in the map. Corin nodded. "And the phylactery is leading you... oh, Maker... She's heading to the top of Sundermout! I should have known."

"Mysterious again? Why should you know?"

"Before coming here, she killed aunt Merrill, I..." Lea's eyes filled with tears. "I came too late and I was so terrified I didn't realise that her death was odd, like she'd been tortured, interrogated... I didn't think she would be able to kill her."

"Aunt Merrill? Who is that? I knew only about one murder and the victim was a man. She killed him in the middle of the street in broad daylight."

"Uncle Fenris, yes... I've seen his body, he looked like he was in rage, he probably found her at aunt Merrill's home and pursued her..."

"Why didn't I hear about the other victim?"

"Aunt Merrill was a mage from elven alienage. Templars don't go there very often and the elves didn't call them, they just burried her... I hope..."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Corin said gently. "Why Sundermount?"

"Aunt Merrill sometimes told us stories about this mountain. I'm not exagerating if I say: _There's magic in the air._She probably wants the powers sleeping there."

"That sounds bad."

"Yes, we must stop her before she awakes them," Lea stood up. "Let's go, we must hurry."

After few hours of steady march they reached the foot of Sundermount. The mountain proudly reached to the sky and it's green hillside contrasted against black stones. The two pursuers stopped for a moment to take a breath. Even though they were in hurry, the mountain's natural charm hit them in full strength.

"It's beautiful," Lea had to smile.

"Well, you said it's a magic mountain, there's no surprise in it."

"You're... probably right," she started to climb a steep path to the top.

"You seem to know a lot about this blood mage," Corin said after a while of silence.

"Yes, I... do."

"Can you tell me?"

"I don't want to, but..." Lea sighed. "You will eventually find out when we reach her. She's my twin sister, Bethany."

"You said you've lost your sister to this blood mage," the templar objected.

"That's... true. Technically. When she became possessed by the demon, she was no longer my sister. Only the demon's puppet," the girl stared at grass in front of her feet.

"I don't understand why are you hunting her. It must be incredibly painful for you."

"It was my fault she started with blood magic. It should be my responsibility then to ensure she stops."

"Don't blame yourself, it was her choice to turn to blood magic, not yours..."

"You were not there, so shut up."

"I'm sorry."

~ x ~

"You know," Corin said when they entered the tunnels that should lead them to the top. "If you had help from the beginning, it could have been easier for you. Why didn't you ask someone?"

"If, if, if," Lea turned to him angrily. "Whom should I ask? Father? He couldn't kill her when that happened, what help would that be? I'm not blaming him, he loved us so much..."

"Templars, for example."

"They were useless. One templar dead, four injured before she escaped," she said bitterly.

"And now the Knight-Commander sends only me after her? He must really hate me."

Lea blinked in surprise.

"No, he doesn't hate you, he has faith in you."

"And how can _you _know that? Do you _know _the Knight-Commander?"

"Everyone who has ever visited Kirkwall knows him."

"Save the fairy tales for children. Everytime I say _Knight-Commander_, you twitch. That's not reaction of _everyone who has ever visited Kirkwall_," he said.

"That's none of your concern, sir templar. And the blood mage won't be waiting for us," she turned away from him, but he caught her arm.

"I'm just sick of the game you and the Knight-Commander are playing with me."

"So he did say something strange!" she raised her voice.

"Even if he did, it's no concern to an apostate like you," he spat out.

"First, I am no apostate. And second..." she fell silent and watched Corin for a moment. Then she waved her hand and added: "You wouldn't understand."

"Yeah, the templars are all so stupid, it's waste of time to tell them anything," Corin rolled his eyes. "Don't try to tell me you've had something with the Knight-Commander. He's old enough to be your father!"

"He is," she replied silently.

"That's what I'm... oh... Andraste's flaming sword! You are kidding me, right?"

"No. The current Knight-Commander of Kirkwall Circle is my father."

"Great, just great," he sat on a near rock. "The Knight-Commander sends me to kill a blood mage who turns out to be his daugher and his other daughter, an apostate, is assissting me. Makes perfect sense," he said ironically.

"Why do you insist on me being an apostate?" Lea frowned.

"I saw you using magic. And you don't belong to any circle."

"I didn't use magic, I..."

"Stop it. I know what I saw. Don't pretend you're...," he sighed. "Just tell me the whole story. I'm not going to kill you if I don't have to."

„As you wish. But before I start, I want you to wear this," she gave him a small wooden amulet on a thin leather strap.

„What's that?"

„It's a charm. It will protect you from the worst the blood mage could cast on you. I didn't expect company in this _hunt_, so it's not one of the best you can get, but it should be enough for the next combat."

„You made this one? You can do enchantments?"

„No, mages that were not made tranquil cannot enchant things. This is merely a protective spell bound to an amulet, it won't last long as enchantments do. Maybe a day or until it's depleted. It's some sort of mind shield."

„Mind shield?"

„You know what's the worst thing why blood magic is forbidden, right? It's the ability to control minds of others. I don't want you to turn against me during the fight. With this on, the magic must pass the shield, before it can hit your mind. That depends on the power of the blood mage. But I hope she's not strong enough to destroy it immedietely."

„Thank you," Corin took the amulet, watched it for few seconds and then put it around his neck.

„Let's go," Lea stepped forth.

„What about the story?"

„I'll tell you on the way, we're almost there, we need to hurry."

„Fine."

„So... we've been in Gallows sice our age of eight. Or seven, I don't remember exactly," Lea took a deep breath. „Because our father was, and still is, a Knight-Commander, we tried to be good, neither me nor my sister never tried to run away or do some stupid things. But it didn't help. One day a templar with... interest in younger women appeared and... well, I was fifteen and I was alone in the apprentices' room. I didn't want to use magic to defend myself, I was scared of being made tranquil, if I attacked a templar by magic. I tried to threaten him that I will tell my father, I screamed and called for help, but no one came and he... then I decided to run away. That angered him. He drew his sword and stabbed me. I think he just wanted to threaten me or immobilize me... I don't know. The next thing I remember is me waking up on the ground, the templar was...," they emerged out of the cave and found themselves on ancient elven graveyard, „painted all over the room and Beth was... my sister was standing beside me, her eyes... glowing. When I asked what happened, she told me that I was dying, that she had to call for help. Then she ran away. My wound was gone, but I was still weak, so I didn' go after her. It took me several hours to realise what kind of help she sought up. So after few years, when I thought I learnt enough, I decided to set right what I've made wrong. I've already failed to kill her four times and because of that, aunt Merrill and uncle Fenris are dead."

„I still don't see how this is your fault," said Corin after few seconds. „If anyone is to blame, besides your sister, it's the templar."

„I was too weak and coward," Lea objected. „I should blast the templar with a fireball or freeze him on the spot... But I was too scared..."

„Hello, Leandra," a young woman with the exact same face as Lea and dressed in simple brown dress stepped from behind near rock. Her arms were covered with countless scars. „What are you telling him? You don't remember we found the forbidden book, then you seduced the templar so we could do the ritual? Together?"

„Beth? What..."

„So you've been lying to me all the time?!" Corin raised his voice angrily. „That's why you didn't use any magic? So I wouldn't find you're a blood mage too?!"

„No, I was telling the truth!"

„You don't have to pretend now, dear sister," Bethany smiled and unfolded her arms. „He can't possibly defeat the two of us."

„Corin, don't listen to her. We need to..."

„And you expect me to believe anything you say? Those touching stories... I should kill you the moment we've met," he snapped the pendant Lea gave to him and teared it off his neck.

„Don't take it off!" she screamed in horror. Then she quickly turned to her sister and ran to her, lighntning circled around her hand and staff. She needed to keep Bethany occupied, since Corin discarded the mind shield. Lea waved her staff and sent all the lightning to her sister. At the same moment the full power of her spell hit her instead and she fell to the ground between two gravestones. The unexpected impact deprived her of breath and paralyzed her.

„I've been expecting you, my dear sister. Did you think I'll be unprepared?" Bethany laughed. „Although I didn't expect you will bring a templar with you. Is he the reason why are you so late? Tell me, sir templar, do you want her as a man wants woman?"

„Yes," Corin replied with blank voice.

„Good. Bring her to the altar. Without her weapons," she ordered.

„As you command," he gently picked up defenseless Lea and brought her to where Bethany showed.

„Now you will have her. Right here," Bethany smirked. „And after you're done, you'll slit her throat."

„Corin... don't..." Lea found her breath.

The templar followed orders of the blood mage. He put down his sheild and sword and started to unbind Lea's clothes.

Bethany didn't watch them. She commenced with incantation for a ritual.

„Corin, stop it," tears filled Leandra's eyes. She managed to move her hand and touch her ring with her thumb. Bright light burst out from the ring, nullifying any magic and destroying every magic item in sight. The paralysis was gone. The mind control was gone. All the defences Lea gathered for years were gone. The ritual was interrupted. Bethany staggered. Lea stretched her hand towards her and froze her on the spot. Corin, although feeling dizzy, picked up his shield and dashed to the blood mage, shattering her to pieces.

With her sister gone, Lea embraced her knees and burst to tears.

~ x ~

The Knight-Commander restlessly paced around his office. It has been a week since Corin came back with a phylactery that was no longer needed. His heart has been torn apart since his little Beth ran away with murder and blood magic on her hands. Now she was dead, she finally found peace. He couldn't. He hoped that Corin would bring Lea back, but that didn't happen.

_She promised, she will return_, the words of the young templar still echoed in his head. But it has been a week with no sign of Lea.

„Knight-Commander," a mage messenger knocked on his door.

„Come in."

„Knight-Commander, the First Enchanter requires your presence," the messenger bowed.

„In what matter?"

„He said that a special recruit appeared and you should come quickly."

The Knight-Commander sighed and followed the messenger. The First Enchanter already waited for him in front of his office.

„What's going on?"

„I'm glad you came, Carver. I'm unsure how to proceed, I will leave her to your decision."

He entered the mage's office. There he found a young girl dressed in simple blue green robe, her black hair was bound to a ponytail and her bright blue eyes were now red from tears.

„Hello, father," she greeted him with a sad smile. „I am home."


End file.
